Cops and Courts: Nov. 30, 2012

Jury selection is slated to begin next week in the trial of a man accused of raping a Watsonville carpet store employee at knife-point.

Wayne Steven Maynor is charged with rape, burglary, auto theft, and other charges stemming from the July 3, 2011, attack against the woman.

Payless Carpets and More on Freedom Boulevard was closed and the woman was inside retrieving cleaning supplies to take to her second job when she was attacked. A masked man confronted her at a side office door and held a knife to her neck, police said previously. The attacker then ordered her to the floor of the shop and threatened to kill her if she moved.

The attacker handcuffed the woman and raped her, later taking off with a laptop computer, the woman's iPhone, car keys and other items. He drove off in the woman's SUV.

Authorities identified Maynor as the suspect and arrested him after tracking him down using an application on the woman's iPhone.

Attorneys are scheduled to begin presenting trial motions Monday afternoon and jury selection could begin as soon as Tuesday.

CAPITOLA

Mall's food court evacuated

A small electrical blast in a utility room at Capitola Mall prompted the evacuation of its food court on Thursday, firefighters reported.

On the first floor of the mall at 1855 41st Ave., a Pacific Gas & Electric Co. contractor was replacing a power meter, said Central Fire spokesman Mike DeMars.

About 1:50 p.m., another meter in the room flashed and sparked, DeMars said. The utility room was damaged but there was no fire. No one was injured.

Customers and staff in the food court were evacuated as a precaution, DeMars said.

Power remained off in part of the food court Thursday afternoon as a PG&E crew repaired the meter.